For patient care to be completed in a safe and timely manner, it is sometimes necessary for the nurse to delegate tasks to other health care providers. The ANA describes delegation as:

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For patient care to be completed in a safe and timely manner, it is sometimes necessary for the nurse to delegate tasks to other health care providers. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) offers support in this process. In their joint statement (ANA and NCSBN, 2005), the ANA describes delegation as the transfer of responsibility, and the NCSBN calls it a transfer of authority. This transfer gives a competent individual the authority to perform a selected nursing task in a selected situation. The nurse retains accountability for the delegation. Any significant findings during the care such as alterations in skin integrity, shortness of breath, or changes in a patient's condition should be reported to the nurse. The nurse is then responsible for assessing the alterations and addressing them in the plan of care.

For Patient Care to Be Completed in a Safe and Timely